Reticulated metal structure



Jan' 7, 1941-- H. E. BARTscH w RETICULATED METAL STRUCTURE OriginalFiled J aq 23. 1937 iitiiiiiit@ Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES DE@23 194i RETICULATED METAL STRUCTURE Herbert E. Bartsch, Chicago, Ill.,assigner to Universal Railway Devices Company, a corporation of DelawareOriginal application January 23, 1937, Serial No.

252,373. Divided and this application November 2, 1939, Serial No.302,582

4 Claims.

This invention relates to metallicconstructions and more particularly toreticulated met-al structures.

In the use of reticulated metal for running boards for motor vehicles,treads for re escapes, steps and running boards for railway cars, andthe like, it is desirable that the exposed surface be such as to insureagainst slipping or sliding and to guard against accidents. In order topromote safety in such structures, it is desirable that the constructionbe such that the shoe soles of the person walking on such surface shallengage a maximum` area as otherwise there is ever present the danger ofthe foot improperly engaging the surface and slipping or skiddingthereby causing a turning or twisting of the foot which might result ingrave consequences or even in serious accidents.

'Ihe present invention seeks to avoid these diiiiculties by theprovision of a new and improved structure which is preferably formed ofexpanded metal having a great amount of the upper cut portions orstrands in a common plane lwith the upper surface of the uncut portionsor Webs.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedexpanded metal tread that not only provides an extended sole engagingsurface but is also provided with anti-slipping means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of new and improvedexpanded metal suitable for treads for various structures but is alsoadapted for other uses such as a support on which clerks and attendantsat soda fountains and bars may stand while serving cold drinks tocustomers in order to protect them from the liquids that may have beenspilled on the iioor.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a portionof a railway car showing one embodiment of the invention appliedthereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a tread embodying the invention and made, as ispreferred, of expanded metal; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 3--8 and 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference character Il) designates arailway car having a roof II on which is mounted the running board I2which comprises a frame member I3 to which is secured the tread portionI4. The

tread portion comprises a reticulated sheet, preferably of expandedmetal, embodying the present invention. The opposite side edges of thetread extend upwardly and outwardly in the` running board, as shown inFig. 1.

The running board I2 is provided with a lateral at the end of the car asshown at IAE! in Fig. 1. The board extends beyond the car end and issupported by braces l5 in the usual manner. Since the details of thesupporting frame are shown and describedin my copending application,Serial No. 252,373, filed January 23, 1937, of which this is a division,and since these details constitute no part of the present invention, itis not thought necessary to further illustrate or describe the same.

In the construction of conventional lengths of expanded metal, it is;common practice to so cut and form the expanded sheet that theconnecting or cut portions thereof, which are within the scope of theterm strands as used herein, will l be straight and will extend more orless in a substantially straight line from the lower part of an uncutportion, which is one type of web as that term is used herein, to theupper part of an adjacent uncut portion, and as a result no more than aminor part of the uncut portion forms the tread when used as a step orrunning board. In a preferred form of embodiment of the presentinvention this diiculty is remedied by the provision of an expandedmetal strip in which the cut portion of the strip has a very large partof its length straight and horizontal and in the plane of what forconvenience of description will be termed the tread or upper surface ofthe uncut portions of the strip.

As shown, the strip I4 has the connecting members I6 of the expandedstrip extending upwardly and laterally as at Il, Fig. 4, and then hasthe major part of the cut portion extending laterally horizontally as atI8 so that these horizontal portions will be in a common plane with oneanother and with the upper surface of the uncut portions iS, as shownmore clearly in Fig. 4.

The connect-ing portions IS have one of their edges ZI extending abovethe other, that is, the connecting portions, which are substantiallyrectangular in cross-section, are slightly twisted so that one edge isabove the others and this edge, being more or less sharp, tends to biteinto the shoe sole or heel to a certain extent thereby Constitutinganti-slipping means for the tread.

It will thus be seen that with such an arrangement, the shoe 22 of aperson walking on the surface of the tread I4, Fig, 3, will not onlyengage a major portion of the upper surface of the tread but the sideedges 2| will tend to prevent slipping or sliding in any direction ofthe shoe sole and heel along the surface of the tread.

It is thought from the foregoing, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, that the construction of my device will beapparent to those skilled in the art and that changes in size, shape,proportion or details may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sheet of reticulated metal adapted to be supported as a treadsurface comprising a series of integrally connected webs and strandseach substantially polygonal in cross section, said Webs being staggeredand spaced with respect to each other, said Webs having their upper, topedges in a single plane and each strand extending from the bottom of oneof the webs to the top of an adjacent web and each having a portioninclined upwardly, and a substantial portion of the strand extending insaid plane to provide an antislip tread.

2. A sheet of reticulated metal adapted to be supported as a treadsurface comprising a series of integrally connected Webs and strandseach substantially polygonal in cross section, said Webs being staggeredand spaced with respect to each other and inclined with respect to theplane of the sheet, said Webs having their top edges in a single plane,and each strand extending from the bottom of one of the Webs to the top'ofy an adjacent web and having a portion inclined upwardly and asubstantial portion of each strand extending in said plane to provide ananti-slip tread.

3. A sheet of reticulated metal adapted to be supported as a treadsurface comprising a series of integrally connected Webs and strandseach substantially polygonal in cross section, said Webs being staggeredand spaced wi-th respect to each other and having their top edges in asingle plane, and each strand extending from the bottom of one of theWebs to the top lof an adjacent web and each having a relatively shortportion inclined upwardly and a substantial portion of the strandextending in said plane and being inclined to provide a relatively sharpedge in said plane to provide an anti-slip tread.

4. A sheet of reticulated metaladapted to be supported asa tread surfacecomprising a series of integrally connected webs and strands eachpolygonal in cross section, said Webs being staggered and spaced withrespect to each other and having their top edges in a single plane Iandineline-d with respect to said plane, and each strand extending from thebottom or` one of Ithe Webs to the top of an adjacent Web and having arelatively short portion inclined upwardly and a substantial portion ofthe strand extending in said plane and being inclined to provide arelatively sharp edge in said plane to provide an anti-slip tread.

HERBERT E. BARTSCH.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,227,87ll.. v y January 7, 19141.

HERBERT E. BARTSCH.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationoI- the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page l,second column; line 22, for the words "be straight and will extend moreor less" read --be more or less straight and will extend--g and that thesaid may conform to the record of` the 'case in the Patent Office.Signed and sealed this llth day of February, A. D. 19ML w Henry VanArsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

